WAIS HR boss ‘bullied out of job’ after helping Nina Kennedy
HR manager Maryanne Scholz insisted that Nina Kennedy’s allegations against Alex Parnov must be reported to police, but she encountered pushback from the previous WAIS board.
A former Western Australian Institute of Sport human resources boss claims she was bullied out of her job after insisting Olympian Nina Kennedy’s allegations against pole vault coach Alex Parnov must be reported to police, according to documents obtained by The Australian.
Maryanne Scholz, then WAIS HR manager, interviewed Olympic gold medallist Kennedy after she lodged a complaint with the WAIS, and was so concerned by the allegations that she wrote to the board recommending the matter be reported to police.
But she encountered pushback from the previous WAIS board and management, which argued the WAIS was not legally required to report the matter and wanted to leave it to the athlete to take any action.
The Australian has revealed how Parnov – Australia’s most celebrated pole vault coach – preyed upon Kennedy and at least eight other young female athletes in his care, in a scandal ignored and then kept secret by the WAIS for more than 15 years.
WA police are now assessing “potential criminal conduct” in the case, following a review of the evidence by a seconded police officer who slammed previous investigations into the allegations commissioned by the WAIS.
Ms Scholz helped Kennedy – who was preparing for the Paris Olympics – through the process of making her statement and obtaining her consent to provide it to police.
“Maryanne had to fight with the board to get that report to police,” according to one highly placed source.
Ms Scholz had also handled the case of WAIS head pole vault coach Paul Burgess, who blew the whistle on Parnov and was demanding accountability for what had been allowed to occur.
Ms Scholz backed Burgess’s request for a pay rise after his successful year in 2023 with a gold and bronze medal at the world championships.
The Australian understands Ms Scholz also advised the WAIS board not to hire law firm MDC Legal to investigate the complaints raised by Kennedy and Burgess, as both included strong criticism of an investigation conducted by MDC Legal in 2019.
The WAIS went ahead and hired MDC Legal to conduct the investigation.
In a recent draft review of the Institute’s handling of the complaints process, WA police Inspector Pauline Grant was highly critical of the MDC Legal investigations, which had advised there was no legal requirement to report the matters to police.
Inspector Grant said the most recent investigation had wrongly cast aspersions on the credibility of Kennedy and Burgess, and concluded: “It is problematic that MDC Legal were engaged to critique their own work.”
The Australian understands Ms Scholz lodged a bullying complaint against then acting WAIS CEO Matt Fulton, who has since been appointed to the permanent position.
Ms Scholz declined to speak to The Australian.
Mr Fulton told The Australian a complaint had been submitted to the board but declined to say why. “Bullying has no place in our organisation and we take any claims of this nature very seriously,” he said.
The allegations against Parnov were reported to police prior to the current board and CEO’s tenure, Mr Fulton said.
Mr Fulton said the 2019 legal advice indicated the organisation had no obligation to report the matter to the police. “However, the current board does not support this decision and is committed to ensuring that all such matters are handled with the utmost responsibility and transparency moving forward.”
WA Sports Minister David Templeman said he had requested briefings from Mr Fulton and WAIS board chair Neale Fong on the steps taken since they became aware of the allegations in November 2023.
“I am confident that all the appropriate processes, procedures and policies are now in place to ensure athlete safety and wellbeing.”
Mr Templeman said the WAIS and WA police would be setting up a dedicated complaints pathway and he was writing to all former athletes coached by Parnov to advise them of the decision.
Mr Templeman declined to answer specific questions on whether he was comfortable that Burgess had been marched off the WAIS earlier this year by security guards and has never been told why. “It is my understanding that a confidential agreement was reached with Mr Burgess in relation to his resignation.”
It is alleged Parnov would proposition female athletes, kiss them on the lips without consent, slide his hand up their legs, book single hotel rooms on away trips, and invite athletes to his room while wearing only a towel.
Despite multiple complaints dating back to 2009, the WAIS failed to take any significant action against Parnov, even when it became aware of a 2016 video showing him sliding his hand down the bottom of then 18-year-old Kennedy.
Kennedy, who endured grossly inappropriate behaviour from Parnov over several years, said: “I’ve been fighting this battle behind closed doors, in my own way, while trying to reach and succeed at the pinnacle of my sport.
“I also don’t believe the repercussions post-investigation delivered by WAIS accurately matched the severity of the allegations and findings. In this instance, I don’t believe the leadership board had the best interests of my wellbeing at heart. I felt this was prevalent during and preceding the investigative process.”
Cafe owners in world of pain amid surging cost of wages, energy
About 70 per cent of the price of your morning cup of coffee is now being eaten up by wages and power costs, triggering dire predictions more local cafes are set to close.
Paralympian vows inspirational journey is only just beginning
From a tragic cycling accident to setting world records on the biggest sporting stages in the world, Paralympic champion Alexa Leary’s story is one of determination and inspiration.